How to Educate People About Pet Adoption
Be an example., Observe whether this is the time and place to talk about it., Be sensitive., Get clarification., Listen to their feelings., Challenge ideas with questions, not comments., Know what you're talking about., Remember that many people buy...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Be an example.
If you purchase exotic pets or haven't spayed your cat, take a look at yourself first. -
Step 2: Observe whether this is the time and place to talk about it.
If you're in the middle of eating dinner with a friend, talking about sports, now is not the time to chime in that they should never buy a dog from a puppy mill.
If, on the other hand, your friend tells you they're thinking of buying a cat from a breeder, this might be the perfect time to have this talk. , If you want to have a conversation that might help animals and people, be prepared to start with the assumption that who ever you are talking to has valid thoughts and feelings.
If they fear that an adopted animal might be unteachable, attack, or be sickly and die, do not laugh and call them paranoid, listen to their concerns and reassure them if appropriate without discounting their fears. , If you believe that the person you're talking to has just said that mixed breed pets aren't as loving, check with them to see if that's what they really meant. , They have emotional reasons for doing things, just like all of us.
Having a baby purebred agouti dumbo rat may feel like a luxury they've earned, or getting an Amazon parrot from the wild may feel exciting to them.
Pinpoint the feeling they want, and see if you can't fulfill that feeling through adoption. , Asking questions also allows people to explore what their personal answer might be if they haven't thought of it before.
It is more productive to say "Do you think that supporting the hamster breeder is as good for hamsters in general as helping fund a shelter by adopting one of their orphans?" is going to get you a lot further than saying "When you buy a hamster, that evil breeder just makes more to turn a profit.
They make the problem worse by creating more hamsters.
If you get one from a breeder or pet store you are evil."
You lose credibility if you claim that there are hermit crab breeders (there are not) or that all dog shelters euthanize (they do not).
If you don't know something, it's okay to admit that and look it up later. , One important step for helping animals is choosing forethought over instant gratification.
If your someone is discussing how they might acquire a pet with you, they've already resisted impulse buying.
Give them credit and appreciation for this. , Making them defensive won't help.
Now is the time to talk about proper animal husbandry, spaying and neutering, proper veterinary care, planning for the animals entire lifespan, and perhaps encourage them to volunteer at a shelter as a way of learning more about their new pet. , They may be thinking about this conversation for days and months.
Feels good that you did what you could to educate. -
Step 3: Be sensitive.
-
Step 4: Get clarification.
-
Step 5: Listen to their feelings.
-
Step 6: Challenge ideas with questions
-
Step 7: not comments.
-
Step 8: Know what you're talking about.
-
Step 9: Remember that many people buy from pet stores and breeders on a whim
-
Step 10: because something is cute.
-
Step 11: If they have already gotten a pet from a "problem" source (pet store or breeder) instead of "solution" source (shelter or rescue)
-
Step 12: skip the lecture about it.
-
Step 13: Remember
-
Step 14: if your conversation didn't convert them to your full idea set
-
Step 15: you have still succeeded in planting the seed.
Detailed Guide
If you purchase exotic pets or haven't spayed your cat, take a look at yourself first.
If you're in the middle of eating dinner with a friend, talking about sports, now is not the time to chime in that they should never buy a dog from a puppy mill.
If, on the other hand, your friend tells you they're thinking of buying a cat from a breeder, this might be the perfect time to have this talk. , If you want to have a conversation that might help animals and people, be prepared to start with the assumption that who ever you are talking to has valid thoughts and feelings.
If they fear that an adopted animal might be unteachable, attack, or be sickly and die, do not laugh and call them paranoid, listen to their concerns and reassure them if appropriate without discounting their fears. , If you believe that the person you're talking to has just said that mixed breed pets aren't as loving, check with them to see if that's what they really meant. , They have emotional reasons for doing things, just like all of us.
Having a baby purebred agouti dumbo rat may feel like a luxury they've earned, or getting an Amazon parrot from the wild may feel exciting to them.
Pinpoint the feeling they want, and see if you can't fulfill that feeling through adoption. , Asking questions also allows people to explore what their personal answer might be if they haven't thought of it before.
It is more productive to say "Do you think that supporting the hamster breeder is as good for hamsters in general as helping fund a shelter by adopting one of their orphans?" is going to get you a lot further than saying "When you buy a hamster, that evil breeder just makes more to turn a profit.
They make the problem worse by creating more hamsters.
If you get one from a breeder or pet store you are evil."
You lose credibility if you claim that there are hermit crab breeders (there are not) or that all dog shelters euthanize (they do not).
If you don't know something, it's okay to admit that and look it up later. , One important step for helping animals is choosing forethought over instant gratification.
If your someone is discussing how they might acquire a pet with you, they've already resisted impulse buying.
Give them credit and appreciation for this. , Making them defensive won't help.
Now is the time to talk about proper animal husbandry, spaying and neutering, proper veterinary care, planning for the animals entire lifespan, and perhaps encourage them to volunteer at a shelter as a way of learning more about their new pet. , They may be thinking about this conversation for days and months.
Feels good that you did what you could to educate.
About the Author
Angela Ellis
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow lifestyle tutorials.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: